How To Make Yogurt Set Hard

How to make curd or dahi at domicile with just 2 ingredients. Curd known as Dahi in Hindi, is a traditional yogurt made and enjoyed in India for a millennia. Well known for its probiotic qualities, regular consumption of curd is believed to improve the overall wellness and well-being. Making curd at home is super simple and yous don't need any special equipment. I will evidence you how easy it is with my footstep by footstep guide! You will also discover lots of practical tips and tricks to troubleshoot all curd making problems.

Virtually Curd

Curd is a traditional fermented dairy production that originated in Indian Sub-Continent. The word "dahi" may have derived from the Sanskrit word "dadhi" that translates to "sour milk or fermented milk". So it is a traditional fermented food fabricated with milk and a bacterial culture.

We Indians grew upwards eating curd almost every day in some or the other form. We serve it at the end of every repast either on its own or in the course of curd rice, chaas/ buttermilk, lassi etc.

A lot of Indian dishes like raita, kadhi and curries are also made using Indian yogurt. We also use it every bit a tenderizer in a lot of meat based recipes. So curd is a staple in Indian cuisine.

I take grown upwardly enjoying subcontract fresh milk and homemade curd (Indian yogurt) while I was in India. When I relocated to Singapore, dealing with commercial processed milk (homogenized & pasteurized) was a new feel to me.

Making curd with raw fresh milk that is not processed at all is super easy! But if you are using homogenized and pasteurized milk then you may encounter tons of problems similar slimy yogurt, sour yogurt or curd in which whey separates or yogurt which does not set at all etc.

I too had all of these troubles. Over the years later on making several failed batches I learnt a lot about making the perfect thick and creamy curd using processed milk.

In this post I have shared all my experiences as tips to go the curd right (thick, creamy & delicious). If you are one among those lucky people who practice not accept whatsoever hassles in making it, this post may non be for y'all.

I have as well shared how to brand yogurt without a starter using chilli stalks.

How To Make Curd (Stepwise Photos)

If you have a instant pot, follow my recipe card to boil the milk.

1. Rinse a large pot and cascade the milk to it. Rinsing the pot reduces the chances of milk solids settling at the bottom. Bring milk to a boil on a low to medium flame.

boiling milk on a medium flame to make curd

ii. If you do not like foam layers on the curd, then proceed stirring to reduce the formation of layers of cream. We do non heed the cream and so I avert this footstep.

3. I usually eddy the milk on a medium flame.

4. When the milk comes to a boil, then I reduce the flame to very low and allow to simmer for ten to fifteen mins. This enhances the flavour and also makes the curd thick.

five. Remove from the stove and permit to cool downwardly to luke warm temperature.

six. Decide on the amount of starter to use depending on the milk and kind of starter. I have explained this in a higher place the recipe card. Please read that.

7. Add the starter when the milk comes downwards to warm temperature. ane tsp to tbsp depending on the kind of milk, weather conditions and starter. Read the tips on how to make thick curd past frothing milk from the end of this mail service.

8. Mix very well until the curd has blended well with the milk.

9. Transfer it to a bowl. You can too set the curd in the same bowl or in a clay pot. I adopt to froth up the milk. Scroll downward to know more.

10. Embrace with a lid and keep in a warm place until ready for 6 to x hours depending on the weather. Avoid disturbing or moving the bowl before the curd is set. Some people apply a broken red chili to set the yogurt well. If needed break a red chili and just put information technology in the milk. This volition not make the curd spicy or hot.

Pro Tips To Make Thick Curd

This is a tip which nosotros follow to make thick curd at habitation. This method is too good if you do not similar cream layers on the curd. This technique breaks downwardly the cream layer and disperses the fats to the milk making the curd rich and tasty.

When the milk is still hot, barm up the milk by pouring it to another bowl or pot. To and fro, a few times breaks down the cream and the milk froths upwards very well.

Add together the culture or starter when the temperature of milk is slightly higher than warm but not hot. Stir well.

So quickly pour to the bowl, cover and rest in a warm place. Towards the end of the process the milk should still be warm. To get this right, you lot will have to attempt a few times. But this method surely gives thick and more tasty homemade curd.

How To Brand In Individual Bowls

The process is the same but to ensure the curd is set well, I add an extra quarter tsp of curd to every one-half loving cup milk. This method of setting curd in individual bowls is preferred by many equally scooping out little curd every fourth dimension from a big bowl disturbs the entire bowl and leaving behind lot of whey.

Later on refrigeration curd becomes slightly more than thick.

More Tips

i. Always utilise full fat milk or whole milk but. Equally diluted milk or low fatty milk will non prepare your dahi well and makes it watery with more whey.

2. Why does your curd become sticky or slimy?

using starters like greek yogurt or any sticky ane will yield a sticky curd. (I apply Nestle Asli as the starter, the results are non-mucilaginous).
It depends on the milk too (depends on the feed of the cows), some milk yields a viscous curd. Peculiarly the milk from the grass fed cows plow slimy. Merely attempt with a different brand.

3. How much curd or dahi to apply as starter purely depends on iii basic factors.

The kind of milk you are using – homogenized or non homogenized. Homogenized milk require more starter. Equally the milk is candy and the particles are broken down to minute in club to go along them apart which helps in increasing their shelf life. Dahi does not prepare well if y'all apply less starter for homogenized milk.
On the other hand, non homogenized milk needs less starter as they tend to set well and faster. Adding more than volition make your curd sour. So adjust the corporeality of starter accordingly. (I have mentioned the quantity in the ingredient list).
The kind of starter you are using – gelatin or non gelatin. If your starter has gelatin in it, you have to use more starter. If the starter is a non-gelatin one, y'all can utilise bottom. (quantities mentioned in ingredients)
The Season – if y'all are making yogurt in winters, demand to utilise more starter. Accommodate the quantity every bit per the season.

Places Where Curd or Dahi Can Prepare Well

Place the bowl of milk in the goulash or a thermocol box.
Wrap a warm cloth or woolen scarf to the bowl and keep inside the kitchen cabinet or shelf.
Tin place inside a big rice storage container.
You can as well place in oven with the light bulb on. If you have a oven with settings to make yogurt. Turn information technology on and place it until set.

UPDATE: Many readers take been asking

How To Make Yogurt Without Civilisation?

How to make curd without using curd / dahi ?

There is a age old method of making curd without using curd followed by rural women in S India. These women used to make their ain culture to utilize as a starter. I have tried making this to check if it really works and aye it does.

Bring milk to a boil. Allow the temperature come down to warm. Then add eight to ten stalks or stems of red chilies for every 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the warm milk. Set up this aside in a warm identify until set.

How long? information technology certainly depends on the climate. Information technology took 5 hours for me to set the curd. But this may not be good to utilize directly. I am not sure if information technology is healthy to eat.

So I did make fresh yogurt using the i I fabricated earlier equally starter(curd with chili stalks). I added 1 tbsp of the above prepare dahi to one cup milk and set aside for 8 hours. Then I got thick curd.

Hither are some recipes where y'all tin can utilize yogurt
Lassi
Raita
Hung curd
Kababs
Curd rice
Biryani Recipes

Recipe Bill of fare

▢ 1 liter milk full fat or whole milk
▢ one tsp curd or dahi or yogurt as starter (increase to ¾ to i tbsp. if it is gelatin based or yous are making this in winters)
▢ one dried red chili broken (optional)

Grooming

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Rinse a pot well. This reduces the chances of milk solids getting stuck to the lesser.
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Pour milk and bring it to eddy on a medium to low flame.
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To go thick curd, once it comes to a boil simmer the milk for 15 mins on a very low flame.
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Go on stirring in between else the milk volition get burnt and aroma bad.
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Simmering step is to get a very thick curd. You tin skip this if yous are ok to have a moderately thick yogurt.

How To Make Curd or Yogurt

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Allow the milk to cool downward.
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If you are intending to utilise a curd culture that has come up downwardly to room temperature, then allow the boiled milk to come downward to luke warm temp.
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But if you are using the culture straight from the fridge, then the temperature of the milk must exist mildly warmer than the luke warm.
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Immerse your clean finger in the milk and check.
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Add a tsp of curd to the warm milk and stir well. You will have to experiment with the amount of starter to use.
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In India, my mother uses less than half tsp for one liter milk every bit information technology is non homogenized milk. Only in Singapore I use about 1 tbsp or fifty-fifty more for 1 liter. Information technology depends on the milk, climate and starter.
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Cover & movement the basin to a warm place.
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Let information technology to set for 6 to 10 hrs depending on the climate.
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If yous wish to set the curd well, y'all can interruption a ruby chili and drop it in the milk. it is optional and does not brand the dahi or curd spicy or hot.
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If you live in a cold place, then go along it in a casserole or thermocol box or oven with the low-cal on.
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Next if you intend to make curd in small bowls, check the footstep past pace instructions after the recipe carte.
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When the curd is set, move information technology to refrigerator.

Instant Pot Curd

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Ensure your sealing band and instant pot are clean and are free from any kind of strong flavors from the previous cooking. Cascade 1 cup water to the steel insert of your instant pot.
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Pour 4 cups of milk to a stainless steel bowl. Identify a trivet and and so place the bowl of milk over it. Do not encompass the bowl.
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Secure the instant pot with the lid and position the steam release value to sealing. Press pressure melt push button and set the timer to "zero".
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The Instant pot beeps when it is washed. Let the pressure release naturally. Carefully remove the bowl and let the milk cool downwards to warm temperature.
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When the milk is warm, place your clean finger to ensure it is non too hot. It must be warm. Stir in half teaspoon yogurt and place the basin back on the trivet in the instant pot. The pot should non be besides hot.
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If y'all live in a cold region or during winters, you may plough on instant pot & press the yogurt button. But during other times, y'all don't need to turn on the instant pot at all. I commonly place the basin in the instant pot without turning information technology on. The residual rut from the previous cooking will exist enough to set the curd.
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It volition take 6 to 8 hours for the curd to fix well. Remove the bowl and place it in fridge.

If you are new to making curd, I propose reading the entire post for more details.
Frothing the milk will make information technology thicker. Please scroll down to know the details.
Practise not add yogurt to hot milk. It will coagulate the milk.
Using sour starter will yield a sour dahi.
If the milk does not set up well, try again with fresh milk in different means by increasing the civilisation, keeping it in a warmer place, calculation your culture to warmer milk.
Making adept curd at dwelling house comes by experimenting & feel. Try different ways with different starters, different brand of milk and fifty-fifty in different places in your kitchen.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe bill of fare are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photograph instructions and tips above the recipe card.

Nutrition Facts

How To Brand Curd | Dahi Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 610 Calories from Fatty 288

% Daily Value*

Fatty 32g 49%

Saturated Fat 20g 125%

Cholesterol 130mg 43%

Sodium 460mg 20%

Potassium 1550mg 44%

Carbohydrates 46g fifteen%

Carbohydrate 46g 51%

Protein 34g 68%

Vitamin A 990IU twenty%

Vitamin C 5mg half dozen%

Calcium 1210mg 121%

Fe 0.5mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe post commencement published in November 2022. Updated and republished in July 2022.